Team Member: Jonathon Semington, FANG-WEI LEE
Bringing Lightweight Design to Life
For our ME514 final project, we’re developing a lightweight, topology-optimized chassis for a small RC-style robotic vehicle. The goal is to reduce structural weight while keeping the chassis stiff enough to support four motors and four electronic boards under real-world loading. This isn’t just a theoretical exercise — we’re using simulation tools to guide our design decisions and combining them with additive manufacturing to bring the concept to life.
The chassis serves as the structural backbone of the car. We’re treating it as a real mechanical component that needs to survive mounting, movement, and torque from the drive system — not just a placeholder shell.
Why Topology Optimization?
We chose topology optimization because it allows us to move beyond traditional “boxy” designs and actually engineer the structure to match real-world loading. By simulating how forces move through the chassis, we can selectively remove material in regions that aren’t needed for strength — leaving behind an efficient and lightweight form. This is a great example of design for additive manufacturing, where the freedom of 3D printing allows us to produce geometries that wouldn’t be practical with conventional manufacturing.
Design Overview
The chassis will support four motors and four boards, arranged to fit cleanly within the frame while still allowing space for wiring, airflow, and accessibility. To start, we will create a full assembly in CAD that includes all major components and mounting features. This base model will give us the foundation we need to define a meaningful design space for simulation.
Figure 1. Current Chassis Design
Using SolidWorks Simulation tools, we will run a topology study based on estimated loads from the motors and electronics. Fixtures will be placed at motor mounting locations, and forces will be applied where the weight of the components would act. From this, we expect to generate a preliminary optimized geometry that we can refine into a printable CAD model.
Fabrication Plan
Once the topology study is complete and the geometry is cleaned up, we will move to slicing and fabrication. The chassis will be printed using an FDM printer with PLA filament, chosen for its ease of printing and sufficient stiffness.
Next Steps
Our next milestones include completing the full CAD model with all components, running the initial topology optimization study, and preparing the refined design for 3D printing. We will also begin testing material and slicing settings to ensure the print is both strong and efficient. As we progress, we’ll explore ways to validate our simulation with real-world testing — and possibly iterate the design based on how it performs.